


A Life for a Life

by blackstyx



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Carbuncle is a little helper, Episode Ignis Verse 2, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Episode Ignis Verse 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:07:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28452111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackstyx/pseuds/blackstyx
Summary: “I shouldn’t be here.”“In this place?”Dark hair moves softly, mingling with the white fur, when Noctis shakes his head no. “I shouldn’t be alive.”Ignis inhales sharply. The prophecy. A fate they all fought successfully and their price sat now in front of him. Uncertain and scared.“I know he is looking for me. So I hide here, but I know he will take me eventually.”
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51
Collections: Ignoct New Years Gift Exchange 2020





	A Life for a Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lhugy_for_short](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lhugy_for_short/gifts).



> This story is for [Lhugy_for_short](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lhugy_for_short/pseuds/Lhugy_for_short) and the Ignoct New Year's Gift Exchange 2020.

A Life for a Life

When Ignis steps into Noctis’ study he expects him to sit behind his desk, looking at the drafts Ignis got ready for the new trading deals with Tenebrae and Altissia. After being in the dark for so long none of these arrangements had been necessary, but with the sun rising and setting again day after day, a bit more normality was slowly returning into their routine. A routine Ignis thought was not only needed but also appreciated after everything every single one of them had been through. Everyone of them carried their own traumas and nightmares with them, some more obvious than the others. And while Ignis feels for all of his friends, his sole focus is on Noctis and his well-being. 

Gladio already had shared his opinion on this matter, of Ignis continuing babying Noctis who needed to step up to the task of leading Insomnia instead of sleeping. 

Sleep. It is one of the things Noctis does a lot these days. It is one of the things he had picked up again after the realisation hit them they _all_ made it out alive; an outcome neither of them expected despite the work and effort they put into the ten years of Noctis’ absence. They had hoped. They had begged. They had prayed. Still in the back of their minds they never expected they could make a difference in what seemed a fixture they all needed to prepare themselves for. 

So every day Ignis is thankful for the miracle lying in bed next to him. At the beginning Ignis woke to sky blue eyes watching him, a smile dancing around the corners and lightening up his whole face. A sight Ignis would never get tired from, but not soon after he started to miss it. The mornings he woke to Noctis already being ready to face whatever the day had in store for them got few and far in between and eventually they stopped. Then it was Ignis' turn slowly waking Noctis with soft touches and kisses, a task he gladly took on. Until it got harder and harder to rouse Noctis and eventually Ignis started his day and left Noctis behind. He would check on him, see if he needed anything and sooner or later Noctis would wake to take on the challenges ahead of them. But his steps got heavier, his limp more pronounced. 

Ignis is aware of his struggles. Of his chronic fatigue, the constant pain still lingering from the Marilith attack. So his thoughts immediately turn to the obvious and knowing none of these issues are possible to fix, Ignis restores to the one thing he always took pride in: supporting Noctis in every which way he needed. Now with them being open about their secret, a secret they had been holding for such a long time even from their closest friends, showing their relationship - their marriage - it became easier.

Although it doesn’t keep the comments or opinions about Noctis’ behavior these days away. Ignis takes the brute of the impact, trying to shield him the best he can at times. Yet it adds to his worries, to his concern for Noctis well being. The light in his eyes slowly diminishes and is being replaced with what Ignis can only describe as fear. A fear Noctis isn’t willing to share with him. Ignis stopped counting how many times he had asked what was troubling Noctis’ mind, just as he stopped counting how many times Noctis deflected his questions with an exhausting smile and a strained ‘I’m okay’.

And Ignis allows him this lie because he doesn’t know what else to do. 

So when he steps into the study and doesn’t find Noctis, his eyes immediately go to the couch standing underneath the huge window in the left hand corner. And right there, underneath a pile of blankets, he finds Noctis. Fast asleep, hands turned into fists as if he is holding onto something for dear life. 

Ignis steps closer allowing his fingers to slip through Noctis’ hair. Seeing the stark contrast between the dark strands against his light skin, he smiles. They are a lot like day and night, but it makes him love Noctis even more and his heart goes out to the man in front of him. He never expected for love to make him feel so much, so deeply and unconditionally. Although it took him a good while to understand neither have been asked or expected of him. 

Usually Ignis would try rousing Noctis once or twice and let him be if he found him unresponsive. Today he wants to try a different approach. He slips out of his winklepickers and socks before taking his glasses off so he can get comfortable in the spot between the backrest of the couch and Noctis’ sleeping body. It feels good holding him and burying his face against the warm skin of Noctis’ nape, just giving him any kind of comfort he might need. Even if Ignis can’t be sure it is enough. 

Ignis doesn’t plan on falling asleep while he rubs soothing circles on Noctis’ tummy while he presses up against him, as if he was trying to crawl inside of him and Ignis wonders what images he is currently fighting that needs this much comfort. 

He still muses about what he can do for Noctis, the thought of not dozing off in the back of his mind, when the warmth and Noctis’ presence lulled him into sweet slumber. Yet his rest doesn’t seem to last long. The sound of birds chiming and leaves rustling slowly pulls him into consciousness again, sounds he clearly doesn’t remember hearing when falling asleep. And he clearly didn’t lay down on soft grass under a clear blue sky. When he gets up and does not see Noctis being around, it concerns him but soon decides he just woke up in a very convincing dream. One where he can feel the ground underneath his bare feet and a warm breeze on his skin. A breeze coming from a narrow path between a massive rock formation and in the middle of this path sat a tiny white fox. 

No, Ignis corrects himself. This was no fox. This was no animal he had ever seen before either, at least not alive. What he sees right in front of him is none other than Carbuncle, the little protector King Regis placed next to Noctis’ bed when he recovered from the demon attack. 

Crouching down, Ignis watches the creature watching him in return before jumping up and comes running towards him. Ignis has no idea what to expect, but he is not afraid or worried. And there is no reason to as Carbuncle climbs up his body and wraps himself around Ignis’ neck, the fluffy fur tickling his cheek. 

“You’re very friendly,” Ignis chuckles lowly as he reaches up and gives Carbuncle’s head a little scratch.

As if in agreement a low chim can be heard right before Carbuncle gets off him again and darts back to the path, only stopping to see if Ignis is following. So Ignis takes a tentative step between the rocks, not sure what his dream might have in store for him. When nothing happens and Carbuncle continues his way down the path, Ignis follows, surprised when he hears the chirping of the birds getting louder and the breeze getting warmer.

Unlike Carbuncle, Ignis does struggle pressing through some passages where the rocks are too close for him to walk through easily. Instead he has to restore to crawling and pushing through the narrow parts, feeling the rough surfaces of the rocks pressing into his body. Yet Carbuncle still wants him to follow, waiting patiently when Ignis needs a moment to figure out which way to approach the next hurdle. Light is peeking through the rift between the rocks high above him, bright enough for Ignis to see where he is going. He has no idea how long he is following Carbuncle or where he is leading him, but Ignis keeps following until the path widens and he can see the trunk of a huge tree in the middle of what seems like a big cavern, ground covered with a thick layer of red leaves.

His eyes wander over the ground and up to where he expects to see the same clear sky he had seen along the way, but the blue only briefly peeks through a sea of more red leaves, sheltering the place from any unwanted eyes. 

“Why have you brought me here?” Ignis wonders as he walks deeper into the cavern as there is clearly no other way out than the one he just entered through. He has no idea if Carbuncle understands him, but he chimes at him, jumping on the spot to get his attention before disappearing around the trunk of the tree and out of Ignis’ view. 

For a moment Ignis hesitates but then follows, the leaves cool underneath his feet and their rustling is the only sound he hears for a moment. Until it gets accompanied by little, soft sobs which only grow louder the closer he gets to the source. 

A little boy hiding between the thick roots of the tree, nearly blending in with the dark bark with the way he is dressed. And it doesn’t take Ignis long to recognize not only the clothes, but also the color of hair and the sound of the sobs. 

“Noct?”

The soba stops immediately and big, sad blue eyes look up at Ignis full of fear.

“Did he send you?” The waver in Noctis’ young voice broke Ignis’ heart, not sure who he is referring to that put so much fright into this tiny body in front of him. 

“Your little friend brought me here.” At this Carbuncle, who had disappeared out of Ignis’ field of view, comes down the trunk of the tree and wraps himself around Noctis’ neck. A gesture which immediately puts a smile on Noctis’ face but falters when he looks over at Ignis again. 

Ignis hopes for Carbuncle to indicate what he is supposed to do, but the little furry creature is busy calming Noctis down. So instead Ignis points to a spot in front of Noctis when he asks, “May I sit with you?”

It takes Noctis a moment to answer, looking from the spot Ignis indicated to Ignis himself and then to Carbuncle before he finally says, “If he took you here, then you can stay.”

“Thank you,” Ignis responds as he sits down, cross legged, in front of Noctis and watches him for a moment. “I assume this is your hiding place?”

Noctis gives a short nod, nothing more and nothing less. 

“Do you mind sharing with me who you’re hiding from? I might be able to protect you.”

Ignis doesn’t think Noctis can get any smaller, but he seems to nearly disappear against the trunk, eyes flicking to the leaves above them. Only when Noctis whispers a name does this gesture make sense to Ignis. 

“The Draconian.”

Just speaking the name seems to hurt Noctis in a way Ignis can’t comprehend and as much as he wants to reach out, offer some kind of comfort, he stays put in his place. “Bahamut. The Bladekeeper?”

Another short nod before Noctis buries his face in Carbuncle’s fur. 

“Why is he looking for you, if you don’t mind me asking.”

Ignis can’t be sure Noctis heard him but eventually he turns his head to press his cheek against Carbuncles body, yet he still doesn’t look at Ignis when he finally speaks. 

“I shouldn’t be here.”

“In this place?”

Dark hair moves softly, mingling with the white fur, when Noctis shakes his head no. “I shouldn’t be alive.”

Ignis inhales sharply. The prophecy. A fate they all fought successfully and their price sat now in front of him. Uncertain and scared. 

“I know he is looking for me. So I hide here, but I know he will take me eventually.”

It is hard to find words powerful enough to show Noctis there is no reason for him to worry, for him to fear he might be taken away from them. Ignis can’t even imagine the dread he is feeling in this moment, how it feels to be told you’ve to die for others to live and yet still walk this very soil he protected with his whole being. 

“My friend, my lover, he walked the same path as you,” Ignis finally starts, voice thoughtful as he casts his eyes up to the leaf canopy. “He was supposed to be sacrificed for our well-being, for us to live. Yet the idea, to live a life without him by my side and not seeing him anymore, drove me nearly mad. I made choices whose outcome were unclear to me and the people around me.”

“What choices?” 

The question is unexpected, but when Ignis looks back at this young boy, seeing the hopefulness in his eyes, he smiles. 

“A life for a life.”

Noctis’ eyes grow bigger. “You offered your life for his’?”

Ignis nods, hair falling into his eyes. 

“What happened then?”

It is a question Ignis doesn’t have an answer to, only guesses and even those not satisfying enough for him not to wonder what allowed them to be this lucky. “The Kings of Yore accepted my offer and a contract was forged. I nearly passed on, fulfilling the blood-debt so his life was safe. Each day I wake up and see him by my side, I'm more grateful than doubtful my decision was the right one.”

“But you’re alive. How can you be dead and live at the same time?”

Ignis thinks back to Noctis’ words spoken to the Crystal, the urgency behind them, the warm light emerging from its core and returning more and more strength to Ignis. 

“This I do not know.”

The curiosity on Noctis’ face makes way for doubt and fear once again and he grabs Carbuncle even more tightly. 

“I wouldn’t ask this of my friend.” 

“And what if your friend would do it without your knowledge? Keeping you in the dark of their intention?”

An uncertain giggle bubbles from Noctis’ lips. “You remind me of him. Just his hair is different. And he is younger. A lot younger. Oh and he usually wears glasses. I like him. A lot.”

Ignis laughs warmly, thinking about how close they had been through their lives until Regis pulled him aside for a conversation Ignis left doubtful of a future together with Noctis. Regis spoke of duties that needed to be fulfilled, wishes staying unrealized. None of these words were spoken in malice or out of spite, but Ignis knew Regis was right. And so he did the only reasonable thing - at least from his point of view - and kept their relationship completely professional. Tension built soon with each passing day of them only speaking the bare minimum. And Ignis noticed Noctis’ eyes on him, pleading to explain what he did wrong. They hadn’t been open with their feelings in the first place and for Ignis to open up then, it seemed a risk he wasn’t - for once - willing to take. 

It was a couple of days after Noctis’ eighteenth birthday when he stood in front of Ignis’ apartment door. It wasn’t much, just two rooms big enough for him to create his own refuge away from the Citadel. As duty bound Ignis was, the change in their friendship took a toll he was uncertain how to approach and he needed this bit of distance he allowed himself. 

But now Noctis was here, anger boiling under the surface; like it did the last weeks and months, always there and occasionally roaring up like a tumultuous sea. This night it felt different though and before Ignis could ask for the occasion of such a visit, Noctis grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him closer and pressing their lips together. 

When Ignis thought about kissing Noctis, he imagined their first kiss to be gentle and careful as Noctis had always been the most precious being in Ignis’ life. But Ignis created this picture in his mind and considered it perfect. Yet with Noctis taking charge it was different, forceful, but not any less impactful. They didn’t speak. Not when they stumbled their way to Ignis’ tiny bedroom or undressing each other, worshipping each other with each touch and kiss and lick and thrust. Only when their bodies cooled down, holding on to the other, did Noctis finally speak up. 

“I talked to my father. I was so upset with how things were between us and he admitted speaking to you, to stay away.”

Not once in his life did Ignis feel ashamed for any of the decisions he made, always considering himself as rational and only following logic. When Noctis spoke, however, he had a hard time looking into his eyes, mortified of denying them both this happiness. Because he was happy. For the first time in his life Ignis was utterly happy, his heart racing in his chest at the feel of Noctis’ body so close to his own. 

When Noctis urged him to look him in the eye, finger coaxing his chin slowly up, Ignis had been overwhelmed at the flood of emotions he found, mirroring his own in a way he never expected. At times his own feelings scared him, considering them far too improper to be returned in the same measure, but here they lied and their longing for the other was the same. 

It was then Noctis said, “I never want to be without you. Ever.” 

Ignis didn’t understand the impact of these words at this very moment. While he felt the same, he didn’t expect for them to elope a couple of nights later. Noctis thought of everything. The rings were simple and not too suspicious, easy to hide underneath the gloves they wore from then on. That night they both chose clothes so far from their usual style even Ignis had a hard time recognizing them as they left to meet the priest in the tiny chapel. 

No one knew, neither of them saying a word throughout their journey when they set out to Altissia or when Noctis stepped into the Crystal, not even when Ignis thought it would be the last time he would see Noctis at the steps of the Citadel did they let their secret slip. Only when the three of them returned into the throne room illuminated by the sun rising on the horizon and seeing Noctis stepping down the stairs, tired but smiling, did they let it all go. They ran towards each other, holding onto the other with the bit of strength they had left. They kissed through their tears and the questions coming from Prompto and Gladio, not for once paying attention to anyone around them. 

Ignis thinks about the love they have for each other, the length they are willing to go. With the feeling of love and dedication in his heart, he addresses little Noctis once again. “I’m sure he likes you a lot as well. Which is why I’m sure he won’t allow anyone or anything to take you away. Just as you will keep him out of harm's way. Have faith in each other.”

The words are so easy to say, but Ignis knows it takes a lot more to believe them, to believe every fear is unfounded. Listening to little Noctis, however, makes Ignis realize they are far away from any dream. They are at a place Noctis feels safe, protected by a tiny furry friend who had been with them on this long journey but the others were unable to see. While he is sure some of Noctis’ ailments are still the reason for the exhaustion, Noctis seeking solace in sleep suddenly makes more sense than Ignis had thought. 

Ignis gets up to his feet, dusting off some of the soil and leaves clinging to his clothes, before he extends his hand for little Noctis to take. “Let me take you home.”

Noctis’ eyes are wary as he looks at Ignis’ hand, gaze lingering on the slim silver ring for a moment, before he takes it and allows Ignis to be pulled onto his feet. 

A moment passes before Ignis realizes he isn’t holding on to Noctis’ little hand anymore, but the much older counterpart. 

“You’ve found me.” Noctis’ words sound relieved, but Ignis still needs a second to adjust his eyes to the image in front of him. Long, dark hair gracing strong shoulders, dark stubble covering a well known jawline. Yet the eyes are the same as is the pinch of his brows.

“I did,” Ignis says warmly, holding onto Noctis’ hand a little tighter. “I wish you'd shared your burden sooner.”

When Noctis steps closer, Ignis immediately welcomes him in his arms, the warm body so familiar against his own. 

“I didn’t want to add to your concerns. I know you already worry too much as it is.” It has become rare for Noctis to snuggle up the way he does in this moment, nose brushing over Ignis’ pulse. “Besides it seems I haven’t been the only one keeping a secret. A life for a life, huh?”

Of course Noctis would know about his confession now that he told it to his younger self and Ignis feels the heat rising in his cheeks. He had his reasons not telling Noctis sooner, aware of how reckless and even selfish it made him striking such a bargain.

“What did you tell them?” Noctis wants to know, pressing even closer as if to assure Ignis it is fine. In just a moment the tables have turned, Noctis being the one consoling Ignis as he thinks back to the moment in Zegnautus Keep facing Ardyn. The moment Ignis used the power of the ring and the blood price that needed to be paid. He still remembers Noctis warping to him, holding him, hearing him calling out his name. 

“I told them how this world means nothing to me. That I won’t let them - him - take you away.” 

Noctis’ hand is warm against his cheek and he nuzzles against it, even dares to look into Noczis’ eyes so bright and full of life. 

“We make quite the pair. You offering your life in exchange for mine, and me begging for the power to protect my friends. I’ll never be able to repay you for what you did for me.”

Ignis places his hand above Noctis’ as he closes the gap between them, the kiss sweet and dear, conveying everything he wishes to say in this moment. How much he loves him, cares for him, cherishes him. 

When he pulls back after a long while, they are back in Noctis’ study, blanket securely wrapped around them, the little Carbuncle figurine sitting on the table next to the couch. 

“Living this life with you is repayment enough.”

Before Noctis can say anything in return, the door of the study is being pushed open and reveals a very concerned looking Gladio. 

“Here you are. Prompto said he couldn’t find you. Guess he didn’t look closely enough. Now, up you two. Nappy time is over. There is a Kingdom to rule.”

Concern turns to puzzlement when both Noctis and Ignis start giggling. “Go ahead. The King and his Advisor Husband will follow in a moment.”

“Unbelievable.” The word is muttered with fondness, giving them another moment to bathe in each other’s presence and their love and the truth finally spoken between them: how they are each other’s world.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and kind words are always appreciated ♥
> 
> I'm wishing you all a Happy New Year and may 2021be full of wonders and amazing memories.


End file.
